We’re heading into the June test window, so I thought I’d prepare a rather tongue-in-cheek article on how our team should look for us to stand any chance of winning the World Cup in 2019.

Firstly, we are due a win. There were 12 years between our victores in 1995 and 2007, and 2019 will be 12 years since our last victory. So far so good.

Now, on to team selection. I have run my eye over the two teams from the finals and found some noticeable comparisons:

• The fullback must be from Natal, preferably having first played his rugby elsewhere before he joined the Sharks (Andre Joubert 1995, Percy Montgomery 2007)
• The right wing should be from Natal (James Small 1995, JP Pietersen 2007)
• The outside centre should be from the Lions (Japie Mulder 1995, Jacque Fourie 2007)
• You need a shorter left wing (Chester Williams 1995, Bryan Habana 2007)
• Your flyhalf needs to be from Maritzburg College (Joel Stransky 1995, Butch James 2007 – Just imagine if we’d included Peter Grant in our 2011 team!!!)
• Your scrummy must be from the Bulls (Joost van der Westhuizen 1995, Fourie du Preez 2007)
• Your 8th man must play most of his rugby at lock and must pull off match winning tackles (Mark Andrews 1995, Danie Rossouw 2007)
• Your Blindside flank must have a reputation for being tough as nails (Ruben Kruger 1995, Juan Smith 2007)
• Your locks need to be from the same province (Hannes Strydom and Kobus Wiese 1995, Victor Matfield and Bakkies Botha 2007)
• You need to have Os in your team!!! (1995 & 2007) – Maybe him being part of the coaching team will be enough?
• Your reserve hooker has to have grown up/played for/lived in the Free State (Naka Drotske 1995, Bismarck du Plessis 2007)
Taking the above into account, I’ll take a stab at a Bok Team. Please feel free to provide your own team or find any other commonalities which I may have missed:

33 Comments

Surely Butch can have a go at 10 still… Cant do worse than any other 10.. Look. We havent had a good 10 since 2007

Comment 1, posted at 24.05.18 15:01:08 by ebenp

Pretty interesting team in the article, not bad by any means…well except at 10.
I think World Cups are won with experience as well as having a bit of youth to add something unpredictable.
So with that being said, and thinking a bit outside the box as i believe thats the only way the Boks stand a real chance:
1. Beast 2. Marx 3. Coenie 4. Etzebeth 5. Snyman 6. JL DuPreez 7. PSDT 8. Whiteley 9. Warner 10. Pollard 11. Am 12. Steyn 13. Kriel 14. DeAllende 15. Gelant
Bench: Kitshoff, Akker, DuToit, De Jager, Vermuelen, Wright, R DuPreez, Bosch

@StevieS (Comment 3) : DuToit reserve tighhead. My thinking is that in World Cups the breakdown is reffed like the NH- whichever teams gets the biggest bodies there kinda wins the ball. A speedy ball palying 8 to link forwards and backs. Numerous lineout options so opposition lineout always under pressure. A 10 that can take it to the line and then a backline where there is both pace and power so opposition cant shift as any of those guys woukld easily break a weak shoulder. Also have multiple kicking options that are capable of slotting penalities from anywhere.

Comment 7, posted at 24.05.18 15:24:19 by SheldonK

@SheldonK (Comment 7) : @Dancing Bear (Comment 6) : blonde moment. Bold choice, but a good one. Thomas has been scrumming better at tighthead and he’s playing well in the loose.

@Richard Ferguson (Comment 5) : I considered Grant but as he’s in Australia and not looking to move I decided to be bold

Comment 9, posted at 24.05.18 15:33:38 by StevieS

@StevieS (Comment 8) : By the World Cup he should have had 2 full super rugby seasons and a CC at tighthead. If he isnt in the Bok squad id also line him up for a stint in the UK as a tighthead. With Coenie back next year his workload can be managed better but the experience will count in his favour

Comment 10, posted at 24.05.18 15:46:22 by SheldonK

Whiteley can’t be captain, he was born in Natal, both Pienaar and Smit were born in Transvaal/Gauteng. Apparently RWC winning captains must be born there.

Os was 35 in 2007 and Beast will be 35 in 2019, so loosehead has to be Beast.

Comment 13, posted at 24.05.18 16:19:41 by Dancing Bear

@Dancing Bear (Comment 11) : I think Kieren Reid may disagree I dont agree with Marx as captain, he must just be left to play. I really thought Etzebeth did a decent job last year. Otherwise Pollard. (I think Whiteley is a bit injury prone)

Comment 14, posted at 24.05.18 16:22:30 by SheldonK

@SheldonK (Comment 14) : South African RWC winning captains. Etzebeth and Pollard were born in the Cape, so they can’t be captain. Come on Sheldon, surely you can come up with a decent captain born in Transvaal…..it is an absolute requirement….apparently.

Comment 15, posted at 24.05.18 16:33:20 by Dancing Bear

@SheldonK (Comment 14) : I agree Whitely is injury prone, and I have serious doubts he will make it to the RWC as captain. He will be 33 then, a loosey in their 30s is a different proposition from a prop in their 30s like Beast.

Comment 16, posted at 24.05.18 16:35:51 by Dancing Bear

@Dancing Bear (Comment 16) : Everyone thought Smit was past it as captain in 2011 and he was 33, so can’t see Whiteley not being past it in 2019.

Comment 17, posted at 24.05.18 16:37:03 by Dancing Bear

I would have Kitshoff wright an gelant start.

Comment 18, posted at 24.05.18 18:07:05 by coolfusion

@coolfusion (Comment 18) : I would also make space for Am even a starting berth

Comment 19, posted at 24.05.18 18:07:54 by coolfusion

@Dancing Bear (Comment 11) : Simple solution. Akker for hooker and captain. He was born in Vanderbijl Park (Gauteng) and is currently playing for Natal.

@Dancing Bear (Comment 21) : Except that Akker like Marc would probably be affected same way as Marx.

Comment 22, posted at 24.05.18 18:41:45 by coolfusion

@coolfusion (Comment 22) : It would affect his game. Whitley and Lambie would make good options for cap.

Comment 23, posted at 24.05.18 18:42:51 by coolfusion

@Dancing Bear (Comment 21) : And Rassie will have to resign for SA’s sake and allow Jimmy Stonehouse to coach the Boks (born in Gauteng, did not play for the Boks, although I am not sure if he may be an Afrikaans Stonehouse)

Comment 24, posted at 24.05.18 19:05:39 by Bokhoring

@Bokhoring (Comment 24) : Definitely an Afrikaans Stonehouse. He came and took a practice at the club I was playing at in Secunda. Brilliant coach.